Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to facilitating content creation and software development and, more particularly, to a mechanism for switching between a user context and a creator or developer context.
Description of the Background Art
A content object, such as a text file, a software program, or an image, is merely a collection of machine data. Only when this data is interpreted in a specific way can humans understand it. In general, there are at least two contexts in which a person can interact with a content object. The first context is as a user, reviewer, or tester and involves viewing or using the content object. The second context is as a developer or content creator and involves modifying or creating the content object using a development environment.
For example, if the content object is a web page (e.g., a file containing HTML code), the first context is the web page that appears when the HTML file is loaded into a web browser. The second context is an application that enables someone to edit the HTML file or create a new HTML file. This editing application can be, for example, Macromedia® Dreamweaver®, Microsoft® FrontPage®, or a basic text editor.
As another example, if the content object is a software program (e.g., a file containing source code), the first context is the user interface that appears when the program (executable or object code) is executed. The second context is an application that enables someone to edit the program (source code) or create a new program. This editing application can be, for example, an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or a basic text editor.
Developers often switch from interacting with a content object in the first context to interacting with the same object in the second context. For example, a developer navigates to a publicly available web site that he has created. After reviewing the site, he decides to make some changes. In order to edit the web site, however, he must first switch to the second context. The developer launches a new application and then navigates within the application to find the page that he wishes to edit. From start to finish, this context switch often requires a great deal of time and thought.
What is needed is a way to streamline the context-switch process so that it takes less time and/or less thought.